LETTER: School schedule justifies council land vote

I came away from the Feb. 28 (Murfreesboro) City Council meeting with the feeling that a couple of School Board members felt slighted when the city manager and the director of City Schools agreed to present a proposal, for council approval, to acquire a site for the new (west elementary school).

My suspicion was aroused when Council members Madelyn Scales-Harris and Ed Smotherman apparently didn't know what they were talking about when they argued to delay the vote until a geological survey was conducted. Scales-Harris seemed clueless as to the tight construction time table that must be adhered to if the school is to be ready by August of 2014 as she repeatedly asked "What's the rush?" Even when assured by the architect that geotechnical surveys would be performed (actually they had been scheduled for March 4th) and that the "deal" was contingent on the site being suitable, Scales-Harris and Smotherman persisted in their dissent.

Scales-Harris indicated that she had been informed that someone on the School Board was not happy with the site even though the board had given the site its unanimous approval. Why did the unhappy board member (or members) contact Scales-Harris instead of Vice Mayor Ron Washington, who is the council representative at School Board meetings? I read the city charter to see what authority lies with the School Board in the purchase of a school site and would suggest that, if need be, the subject be clarified by the city attorney. Further, the construction schedule was available online for a week prior to the council meeting. I downloaded the schedule and, in my opinion, it is very ambitious and justifies the fast track approach taken by the board and the council.